1. Field of the Invention
This application is based on applications Nos. 11-138568 and 11-144873 filed in Japan, the contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and, more particularly, to the image forming apparatus of a type capable of quickly finding a job of one's own without using a slip sheet even when a plurality of jobs are collected on a sheet ejection port and, also, capable of providing a criterion for performing any processing for an output object left as it is on the sheet ejection port for a long time.
2. Prior Art
The Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 5-75772, for example, discloses a system for an image forming apparatus such as a printer or copying machine, which temporarily stores video read-out data in a memory and read the video data from the memory to form an image. The image forming apparatus using the above system has advantages that it is enough to read a manuscript only once to print a number of, for example, ten copies, the next job can be read while printing a certain job and, also, a plurality of jobs can be continuously printed.
However, when a plurality of persons use an image forming apparatus using the above system and output objects are collected on a sheet ejection port, an operator must find an operator's output object by turning the output objects one inside out individually in the case of the facedown mode in which a sheet is ejected with an image bearing side facing downward. Moreover, a standard image forming apparatus not having the above system has the same problem when printing of the next job is started before a pile of output objects of the last job are removed from a sheet ejection port and output objects are collected onto the pile of the last job.
However, U.S. Pat. No. 4,201,464 and the Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 10-143017, for example, disclose a method which allows an operator to easily find an operator's output object by outputting a slip sheet to a break of jobs.
However, when the slip sheet is used, a problem occurs that sheets are wastefully consumed though a person can easily find an output object of his own out of a pile of output objects. Moreover, another problem occurs that the number of output objects continuously increases because there is no criterion for finding an output object of one's own later or disposing of an output object left as it is for a long time.